Tool for hanging doors



Oct. 9, 1951 c. L. cRAMl-:R

TOOL. FOR HANGING DOORS Filed Nov. 24, 195o /orneys Patented Oct. 9, 1951 UNITED STATES vPATENT OFFICE Clarence L. Cramer, Elmhurst, Ill.

Application November 24, 1950, Serial No. 197,245

This invention relates to tools for hanging doors of the type suspended on butt hinges and more particularly for locating the hinge butt and scribbing the location of same on doors and door jarnbs.

The proper hanging of door has in the past required a workman of considerable skill and has required considerable time in its proper accomplishment because of the cut and try methods previously employed. One reason for this has been the lack of suitable tools to enable the various operations to be performed in a uniform manner and without the necessity for handling a plurality of conventional tools. In order to insure that the door when hung will swing properly, care needs b 'e exercised in mounting the butts so that the pintles should be exactly perpendicular. This has required that the door be fitted directly o n the door jamb and has required considerable laborious handling of the door to fit it into the opening and properly attach the hinge butts.

#The primary object of the invention 'is the provision of a tool so constructed as to enable an artisan to scribe the proper position and location of hinge butts on the door and door jamb in an accurate manner without the necessity of other tools and in such manner that mere mountingI of the butts in the scribed locations and insertion of the hinge pintles results in a properly hung door.

A further object of the invention is the provision in a single purpose tool of a structure embodying the function of a plurality of tools combined in such manner as to simplify the operations of properly locating the hinge butts of a door and render the operation more precise for the purpose of expediting the operation to enable the doors to be interchangeable, and to permit the hinge butts to be applied to the door in a location remote from the door jamb on which it is to be carried.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which:

, Figure 1 is a perspective View of a tool constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary yperspective View showing the tool in place against a door jamb;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the tool in place on a door;

Fig. 4 is a cross-section of the tool taken on the line lle-4 of Fig. 3; f

Fig. 5 shows the manner in which the tool is employed to determine the plumb line on a door jamb or the like, and

Claims. (Cl. 33-194) Fig. 6 is a fragmentary elevation showing the manner in which the level tube is attached to the tool.

The embodiment of the invention herein shown includes a body II preferably though not Ynecessarily formed of wood of suitable thickness to withstand the required service. I have found that half-inch thickness is adequate for normal requirements. Attached toone edge of the body and extending over the ends thereof is a metal binding strip I2. This binding strip preferably comprises a single piece of metal bent at two points intermediate its ends to extend across the ends of the body. The strip should be of substantially the same width as the thickness of the body II, in this instance approximately one-half inch. Fastened to the opposite edge of the body I I is a facing strip indicated generally by the numeral I3 preferably formed of metal, and in this instance comprising a channel shaped member having a base I4 and upstanding side edges I5 and I6. The facing strip is attached to the edge of the body by means of a plurality of wood screws such as shown at I'I passing through the base I4 and into the edge ofthe body II. The base Ill of the facing strip should have a Width suflicient to extend approximately one-quarter inch beyond the plane of the opposite sides of the body II, as best shown in Fig. `3, which serves a purpose presently to be described. The height of the walls I5 and I6 is not material except that it should be ksufficient to render the structure rigid and withstand service conditions normal to such a tool.

The length of the body II is such that the overall length of the tool including the binding strips at the end of the body shall be exactly six feet. The body and the binding strip I2 are graduated as indicated at I 8 adjacent each end of the body for a distance of twelve inches from the end.

Disposed along the edge of the body II adjacent the facing strip I3 are a plurality of indexing or scribing slots at least two in number and preferably three, these slots being indicated by the numerals I9, 2| and 22. The slot openings are each lined with a metal facing as shown at 23 which is secured in place by a flush type screw 24. The inner dimensions of the liners 23 correspond to the outer dimensions of the slot necessary to be scribed for the reception of a butt for a four-inch hinge. The slots I9 and 22, in addition to the liners 23 are provided with reducer blocks indicated vat 25 and 26 which are secured in position by flush Ytype screws 21 and 28, the base I4 `of the facing strip having openings as indicated at 29 for the passage of the shaft of a screw driver for inserting and removing these screws. The inner dimensions of the reducer blocks and 26 are such as to correspond with the external dimensions of the slot to be cut for a hinge having a three and one-half inch butt. The slot i9 is located a distance from the end of the tool corresponding to the conventional distance from the top 4of a door to the upper hinge and the spacing between the slots se, mand 22 corresponds to tlie conventional spacing between the hinges of the heavier type doors commonly suspended from three hinges. The inserts or reducers 25 and 2S are so positioned in the slots 553-' and 22 as to give the proper hinge spacing on lighter doors of the type commonly suspended on two three and one-half inch butt'hinges.

Spaced along the length` of the body are metal grommets as shown at 3| and 32 which pass completely through the body and have a .central opening adapted for the reception of nails` for the purpose of tacking the tool in operative position against the edge of a door or door jamb. The body is also provided with one or more openings adapted to receive a level tube indicated at 33. In the present embodiment the tool is provided with four of these openings in'- dicated atv 33, 34. A and 36. A conventional spirit level tube such as shown in Figl 6 is inserted in each of these openings, the tube conveniently being of the type commonly found on the market and comprising a metal flange 31 carrying. a ring 38 in which is supported a bubble tube 39 of conventional form, the ring 38 being adjustable within the ring 31. The ring 31 is attached to the side of the body by means of serews 'such as the screws 40. The level tubes indicated at 33 and 3B are disposed with the tube extending at right angles to the binding strip I2, which forms a straight edge for the tube, the level tube 34 is disposed with the tube in parallelism withr the binding strip l2 and the level. tube 35 isV disposed with the tube at an angle of approximately degrees with respect to the binding strip.

In order to determine the matter of plumb in Y certainV types of irregularities on door jalnbs a pair of screws indicated at 4| and 42 are threaded into the tool through the binding strip I2 adjacent opposite ends thereof and are adapted to be screwed. out. from the binding strip for the purpose of spacing. one. or both ends of theV tool from the work to bring the tool into a plumb position.

A combination spacer and abutment member indicated' by the numeral 4-3 is attached to the upper end of the body beyond the binding strip and is held thereto by means of a flush type screw. Thisv spa-cer is attached adjacent its mid-point and. is capable of rotation with respect to the body so as to project laterally out from the body when the tool is mounted on a door ras shown in Fig. 3 but may also be rotated so as to liev within a plane defined by the side walls of the body so as to be out of the 'way and yet serve as `a spacer when` the tool is applied to the door jamb as shown in Fig. 2. The tool may suitably have an opening as shown at 44 adjacent one end thereof preferably lined with a metal grommet to permit hanging the to'ol in Storage.

In using the tool the artisan may elect to start either by installing the butts on the door or on the door jamb. Assuming the former, the user rotates the stop 43 to the position shown in Fig 3 and rests one face of the tool on the edge 5. of the door to which the hinges are to be applied. The tool is pressed laterally until the edge of the facing strip I3 abuts against the face of the door toward which the door is to swing. At this point double-headed nails such as shown at 45 are inserted through the grommets 3| and 32 and the nail driven into the edge of the door until the inner head 4S abuts against the face of the tool. This securely positions the tool on the edge of the door. Thereafter the user scribes a line about the inner edge of the slots I9, 2| and 22 or such of the slots as may be required. If a door having three and one-half inch hinges is being hung the inserts 25 and 26 remain in position as shown in Figs. l and 3 and the slots |9 and' 22 are employed.

with a pencil, awl or the like, or may be cut in by means of a chisel to denne a line marking the perimeter of the recess. It will be observed that in this single operation, by means of the tool, the user has simultaneously located the butt in its proper relationship with the upper end of the door and with respect to the face of the door and has properly determined the relationship between the two butts. The nails 45 are thereafter withdrawn from the edge of the door, a tool is removed and the butts are recessed into the edge face of the door flush with the surface,` thereby completing the installation of the hinge on= the edge of the door.

Prior to starting the installation the operator will have checked the dimensions Yof the door jamb: and this is easily accomplished by placing onek end of the tool on the floor and noting. the point at the upper end of the tool which will be` precisely six feet from the floor. By elevating the tool upward into the position shown in Fig. 2 he can then readily note the additional distance. This is accomplished by the fact that the tool is made six feet in length and an additional foot scale is' scribed on the upper end of the tool, this additional foot normally compensating for the shortage and indicating the distance in excess of six feet, since doors now commonly in use range from six to sevenA feet. The straight edgey |2 of the tool is then applied to the inner face and to the edge of the door jamb to check the same for plumb. If the jamb is thus found to be plumb, the stop 43 is rotated back to the position shown 'm Figure l and the t'ool is placed with the body in face to faee engagement with the jamb ofthe door to which the hinges are to be applied. The tool is moved until the edge ofthe jamb engages against the facing strip |3 as shown in 2 and the tool is moved upwardly until the spacer 43 engages against the upper face of the door jamb. At this point the nails 45 are driven into the wood of theV ja'mb supporting `the tool in s'cr'ibing position. With the tool in this positionrthe location of the hinge butts is scribed against the door jamb the manner p'revioi'isly described. While the tool occupies 'this position a line isrdrawn on the edge of the' door jamb along one sidey of the facing strip which defines the plane to be occupied by the inner edge of the door trim when it is subsequently applied to the doorway. The nails 45 are thereafter removed, the tool removed from thejamb and the butt of the hinge recessed Vinto the face of the jamb as indicated by the scribing. With the butts positioned in this manner the door vmay be slid into position against the door jamb, the pintles inserted "and the door will be found to be properly hung.

The outline of the recess for receivingr the butt may be scribed either When irregularities are found in the door jamb the tool enables the difficulties to be overcome with a minimum of trouble. For example, when the tool placed in the position shown in'v Fig; 2 the" level tube 33 may show thatv the door jamb is out of plumb. In this event it may be necessary to move the upper or the Alovver endv of=thetoo1 outwardly in such manner as to space onefend of the facing'strip somewhat away from-the edge of the door jamb morder to bring thetool to a plub position. However, when brought to this position the tool can be tacked in place, the butts scribed and the' door hung unless the jamb i'srso badly out of plumb Vthat the hinges cannot be reasonably well situated on the jamb@ However, when the butts are placed on the door jamb in this manner, it will b'e'found, when the door 'is placed upon its hinges, that the door will properly swing-.and will be supported on a vertical axis.

It will be noted that the tool is of rigid con- 'struction and requires no adjustment for the spacing of the hinges once the size of the hinge butt has been decided upon so that a carpenter using the device does not have to measure a number of separate distances to obtain the desired results with the possibility of error in one or more of the spacings. By the use of this tool it is possible for one Voperato'rto lay out and mount the hinge butts on the door frames in a building where a great many door frames are to be hinged, and for a second operator to attach the hinge butts to the doorsu in some remote space in the building for convenience in light or warmthI or before the doors are actually delivered to the job. Under these circumstances much time and expense can be saved by allocating the Work between operators performing the same and to produce a standardized construction in which the doors are interchangeable throughout the building. l

In the foregoing, the body member I l has been described as made of light wood. It is understood that the tool may equally well be made of aluminum, magnesium or some other light durable metal which may be formed into the general shape shown in the drawings and described herein. However, when the tool is made of metal, the binding strips I2 and 23 will not be needed, and the grommets 3|, 32 and 44 will not be needed as the metallic body can withstand the wear caused by common usage of the tool.

I claim: n

1. A tool for hanging butt hinge doors, in combination a continuously rigid body member having indexing openings therein spaced for standard settings for butt hinges, said index openings being of a size and shape to define the locations of butt hinges on doors and door jambs, a channel strip of greater width than the thickness of said body member attached to one edge of said body member to form guide shoulders along said body member and said channel strip serving to locate said bodymember in place on a door or door frame.

2. A tool for hanging butt hinge doors, in combination a continuously rigid relatively flat body member having permanently set indexing openings therein for outlining seats for hinge butts on doors and door jambs, a reinforcing channel strip attached to one edge of said body member throughout its length and having greater width than the thickness of said body member presenting continuous shoulders along said body, spirit levels carried by said body member readable from different elevations from the opposite ends thereof and means for lsecuring said body in place While'scribing said vdoor or door jamb through' said indexing openings.

3. A tool for hanging butt hinge doors, in com:- bination, a light wood bodyimember extending beyond the standard spacings for hinge butts on a door or door jamb, a reinforcing binding strip along the back edge and ends thereof, a reinforcing channel facing strip along ,the front edge spacings for hinge butts on a door or in a door..

jamb, said body having fixed indexing openings therein for locating seats for hinge butts on a door or in a door jamb, a continuously smooth binding strip along the back edge of said body member presenting a straight edge for laying out work, a reinforcing channel strip having greater width than the thickness of said body member attached tothe front edge of said body member, said channel strip presenting continuous shoulders lalong said body member for locating said H body member, and said body member having 'graduated indicia along the opposite faces of the rear edges thereof adjacent the ends forindexing hinge seats beyond the range of said body member. v

5. A tool for hanging butt hinge doors, in combination, a rigid body member extending bgyond the standard spacings for hinge butts on doors and in door jambs, said body member having fixed indexing openings therein for locating seats for hinge butts on doors and in door jambs, a reinforcing channel strip along the forward edge of said body member extending beyond the faces of said body member to present continuous shoulders along said body member, a straight edge formed on said body member parallel to said channel strip, spirit levels carried by said body member designating vertical, horizontal or angular juxtaposition of said straight edge and channel strip, and extensible screws from the back edge of said body member utilizing remote points in checking the status of a working surface.

6. A tool for hanging butt hinge doors, in combination, a rigid body member extending beyond standard spacings for hinge butts on doors and door jambs, said body member having fixed indexing openings therein in definitely spaced relation to an end of said body member, a reinforcing channel strip along one edge of said body member forming continuous shoulders along the opposite faces of said body member, and inserts attachable in said indexing openings for locating seats for smaller size hinge butts.

7. A tool for hanging butt hinge doors, in combination, a rigid body member extending beyond standard spacings for hinge butts on doors and door jambs, said body member having fixed indexing' openings therein in definitely spaced relation to an end of `said body member, a reinforcing channel strip along one edge of said body member forming continuous locating shoulders along the opposite faces of said body member, and

a spacer pivotally carried by the normal'upper end of said body member interposed between said body member and a door frame in one position and forming a limit stop when said body member is applied to a door.

8; 'A tool forhanging' butt hinge doors. in combination, a rigidbody member extending beyond standard spacings for hinge butts on doors and door jambs, said body member having xed indexin'gxopenings therein for ,locating seats for hinge butts, said indexing openings being usable from either face of said body member, a reinforcing channel strip secured to one edge of said body member forming continuous locating shoulders along each face of said body member, a straight edge along the opposite edge of said body member parallel to said channel strip, spirit levels carried by said body member for indicating a true vertical setting and means for attaching said body member temporarily to a door or door frame in correct position While using said indexing openings.

9a A tool forV hanging butt hinge doors', in combination, a rigid body member extending beyond standard spacings for hinge butts on doors and door jambs, said body member having xed indexing openings therein for locating seats for hinge butts, said indexing openings having definitely spaced relations to the normal upper end of said body member, said indexing openings being' usable from either face of said body member, a reinforcing channel strip attached to one edge of said body member presenting a continuons shoulder along each opposite face of said body member, a continuously smooth binding 'strip along the opposite edge of said body meinber parallel to said channel strip and forming a straight edge for the length of said body member, graduated indicia along the opposite faces at the opposite ends of said body member for measurement beyond the length of saidbody member, spirit' levels carried by said body member indicating vertical, or horizontal, or angular juxtaposition of said straight edge, a spacer carried by the upper end of said body memberv providing elearance for a swinging door in a door frame. and grommets in said body member to receive temporary fastening means for said body member while said indexing openings are being used 10. A tool for hanging buttv hingedoors, in combination, a rigid body member extending beyond standard spacings for hinge butts on doors and door jambs, said body member having :Fixed indexing openings therein for locating seats for hinge butts. said indexing openings being denn--` itely spaced to an end of said body member and usable from either face of said body member, a strip along one edge of said body member presenting continuous shoulders along'the opposite faces of said body member. a spacer pivotally carried by one end of said body member locating said indexing openings a definite spacing from a header of a door frame in one position and forming a limit stop locating said indexing openings a different spacing on a door in another position, and fastening means for temporarily holding said body member in either of its two applied positions while using said indexing openings'.

CLARENCE L. CRAL/IER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the lc of this patenti UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 662.991 Van Luvan g 4, 1900 1,308,765 Powell g July 8, 1919 1,630,429 Hobbisiefken May 31, 1927 

